Christianity and the Transformation of the Book: Origen, Eusebius, and the Library of Caesarea

385 Pages·2008·9.59 MB·English

by  Anthony Grafton, Megan Williams

christianity and the
transformation
of the book
Christianity and the
Transformation
of the Book
origen, eusebius, and the
library of caesarea
Anthony Grafton
MeganWilliams
the belknap press of
harvard university press
Cambridge, Massachusetts
London, England
Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Grafton and Megan Williams
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Designed by Annamarie Why
First Harvard University Press paperback edition, 2008
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Grafton, Anthony.
Christianity and the transformation of the book : Origen, Eusebius, and the library of
Caesarea / Anthony Grafton, Megan Williams.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-674-02314-7 (cloth)
ISBN 978-0-674-03048-0 (pbk.)
1. Eusebius, of Caesarea, Bishop of Caesarea, ca. 260–ca. 340—Books and reading.
2. Hexapla. 3. Christian literature, Early—History and criticism. 4. Libraries and
scholars. 5. Books—History—To 400. 6. Libraries—Israel—Caesarea—History—
To 400. 7. Caesarea (Israel)—Intellectual life. I. Williams, Megan Hale, 1969–
II. Title.
BR67.2.G73 2006
270.10922—dc22 2007273343
To Peter Brown
Contents
Illustrations ix
Preface xi
Cast of Characters xiv
Introduction: Scholars, Books, and Libraries in the
Christian Tradition 1
1 Origen at Caesarea: A Christian Philosopher among
His Books 22
2 Origen’s Hexapla: Scholarship, Culture, and Power 86
3 Eusebius’s Chronicle: History Made Visible 133
4 Eusebius at Caesarea: A Christian Impresario
of the Codex 178
Coda: Caesarea in History and Tradition 233
Abbreviations 246
Bibliography 247
contents
Notes 291
Acknowledgments 354
Index 357
viii
Illustrations
The ecclesiastical scholar and his patron, from Johannes
Trithemius, Polygraphia (Oppenheim, 1518). Courtesy of the
Princeton University Library. 3
Wall painting from the “banker’s house” at Pompeii, showing at
least three different kinds of writing surfaces. Photo: Erich Lessing /
Art Resource, NY (ART162496). 9
Codex Amiatinus, Ezra frontispiece. Photo: Scala / Art Resource,
NY (ART2510). 11
Map of the Mediterranean world as Origen and Eusebius
knew it. 13
Plan of the Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum. 47
Fragment of the Hexapla from the Cairo Genizah. 97
Layout of the Hexapla leaf from the Cairo Genizah, with a
proposed reconstruction of the original folio. 99